FOOD FOR THOUGHT The question is, though, if you decide to dine at one of these training restaurants, can you expect a top- notch, five-star meal or will the whole experience be something a littlemore ‘learner’ than gourmet? The answer is probably a bit of both. “It’s a training restaurant but, as a diner, you’re still paying for the pleasure of eating out and thatmeans you should expect a great meal,” says Rossiter. Poletti notes that customers – at least when they eat at Sydney Institute’s offering, aptly named The Apprentice – can enjoy an unusual and exciting experience in a fine-dining environment, with a menu that changes daily. “This particular training restaurant offers a rooftop dining experience and the student menus reflect current trends in Australian gastronomy as well as incorporating the many influences fromaround the world,” she says. Helen Yee, a Sydney-based food lover who writes her own food blog – www.grabyourfork.blogspot.com – has dined at The Apprentice. “We weren’t quite sure the meals on offer change daily, which means if you eat atMitchell’s View regularly, you’ll experience a great deal of variety – which is something that simply can’t happen in a ‘proper’ restaurant.” Still, Rossiter admits that the students don’t always kick perfect goals. “When things do go wrong, it can be spectacular.” Dishes served in training restaurants can sometimes be patchy, lacking that consistency between tables that you’d expect in conventional restaurants. For example, soufflesmight refuse to rise or traditionally tendermeat ends up being chewy. Yee, who has eaten at The Apprentice twice, agrees that training restaurant meals don’t always work and, depending on how busy the establishment is, you may not be able to order your first choice of dish. “But at the same time that kind of thing does happen in commercial restaurants too,” she notes. ARE YOU BEING SERVED? On the service side of things, Yee has this advice to share: “It’s reasonably obvious that the students A fancy mealat a cheap price?Aninsight into hospitality training? Pricewas certainly a major motivator – who can resist the lure of a cut-price meal? what to expect,” says Yee. “A fancy meal at a cheap price? An insight into hospitality training? But price was certainly a major motivator – who can resist the lure of a cut-price meal?” Particularly one that reads like this: parsnip quenelle with roquefort mousse, followed by Moroccan spiced quail as an entree, sirloin with pomme frites and anchovy butter for the main, topped off with a ginger and ruby grapefruit pudding with mascarpone cream for dessert. All for $27 per head. Yee’s verdict? “On the whole, we found that the meals were creative, cooked well and plated stylishly too.” Down south atMitchell’s View, the food sounds similarly delectable. There are yabbie tails on somen noodles with enokimushrooms, gold band snapper on asparagus with a crab court-bouillon and saffron sago pearl sauce, chocolate and cinnamon sorbets… the menus read like something out of a five-star restaurant. “That was one of our dinner menus recently,” says Rossiter, “designed – like all of our menus – by a student. Depending on the time of year, are learning. Depending on when you visit during term, they don’t necessarily have that polished professionalism and poise that experience brings and the sight of themmilling around a little aimlessly on the floor at times can be unsettling.” Rossiter thinks it’s all about managing your expectations. “We’re lucky atMitchell’s View because we have an amazing view out over the Yarra Valley, but yes, some training restaurants aren’t necessarily ‘restaurant-like’ aesthetically.” Criticisms include everything fromlighting – more ‘supermarket’ than ‘intimate’ – to an almost temporary feel exacerbated by the use of furniture that’smore student chic thanMichelin star. Tempted for some tasty TAFE dining? We’ll leave the final word to Yee. “If you do visit, remember that the students can be nervous and theymay need to be reminded a few times that you’re waiting on water or wine. But they’re learning and are usually eager to please. And who knows?Maybe back in the kitchen, there’s a futureMattMoran or Luke Mangan.” 130 VIRGINBLUE